Recommend ripping software for the Mac

Posted by: Professor Fink on 23 April 2014

Hi everyone

 

Although I started ripping my CDs as Apple Lossless files through iTunes I'm now not sure this is the right thing to do! Crisis in confidence!

 

Would like to do a bit of a test to see what I prefer sonically vs the pros and cons.

 

Any recommendations or guidance.

 

I'm using a UnitiQute2 with a wired Synology DS214Play

 

Thank you.

 

Simon

Posted on: 18 May 2014 by YanC

Ripping / Management:

iTunes: Convenient, and fast (+ ripping is ripping, not rocket science). Digitised 2000 albums approx.

 

Format

ALAC: Convenient in terms of size. (I do not detect any differences between compressed lossless and non-compressed lossless).

 

Playback

Amarra Hifi OR BitPerfect

Depending on mood. Prefer the convenience, stability and UI (or non-UI) of BitPerfect, but I feel Amarra produces the best quality playback on the Mac (albeit buggier than BP).

Had extensive periods with these 2, and Audirvana.

 

Other

XLD, for fast and accurate conversion (usually from FLAC to ALAC or AIFF)

Audacity, for converting FLACs XLD has a problem with; Removing the odd click or unwanted "audio participation" from live recordings; Equalising LP transfers (when necessary).

iBatch for iTunes for metadata corrections. Unique flexibility plus integration with Discogs database, which is by far the more complete db for less commercial releases. New version out soon promises file/track management, music backup and archiving.

 

Posted on: 19 May 2014 by mrspoon

>99 times out 100 (probably more) you can just rip with iTunes and it'll be fine

 

I have just updated the 'CD/DVD Drive Accuracy List' for 2014, which checks each drive for % errors using data from from hundreds of millions of discs ripped. The overall average is around 96% to 97% accurate, this means on average one out of every 25 discs ripped will have an error.

Posted on: 19 May 2014 by YanC

 

Originally Posted by mrspoon:

>99 times out 100 (probably more) you can just rip with iTunes and it'll be fine 

agreed!

 

Out of tens of thousands of tracks ripped, I may have had the odd song or two that had an issue. iTunes would create the file, when other software would most probably report an error instead.

In these cases (discovered long after the fact), I would most probably search/download a version from the countless file sharing sites on the net. Maybe a remastered version too 

Posted on: 19 May 2014 by gmischol

dbPoweramp will soon be out for Mac. Check the website, seems to be done about 50%

Was waiting long for this...